BETA BLOCKERS

[Red18]

Hello anybody prescribed beta blockers for anxiety? Doctor thinks my chest pains aren't for real... He reckons I need to calm down. I am not at all a anxious person. Feel really depressed.

[Bassman65]

Our son was prescribed beta blockers for anxiety when his grandfather passed away during gcse exam revision. He decided not to take them and found other coping strategies

[Doug6969 in reply to Bassman65]

Personally I think beta blockers are the wrong medicine for anxiety.

I have had a quintuple heart bypass(may2018).

I was prescribed them, stopped them after about 2 months. Low heart rate and I was always sluggish. Most peolple I know feel

tired/sluggish on them.

Telling someone they need to calm down is never great.

I would suggest councilling. Only my personal opinion.

[Red18 in reply to Doug6969]

Hi Doug. I think when I get to see cardiologist I may feel a little better. You see cardiologist discharged me after andiogram with advisory notes to take statins and aspirin. Fine for 2 months then discomfort in chest. I sometimes get a pain across my neck too. I am hoping it isn't angina. Thanks for replying

[Bassman65 in reply to Doug6969]

My son opted for counselling over medication and it really helped him. I also had counselling as I lost my stepfather last year whilst having unexplained chest pain and my own father having died from Coronary Artery Atheroma as a result of Ischemic heart disease years ago

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi Red18,

I am sorry that you are feeling low at the moment.

Mental and emotional stress along with the cold are well known triggers for angina as well.

Finding stratergies to help manage your stress are important.

I can't take beta blockers as they make my type of angina worse.

I use Mindfulness meditation, Tai Chi and yoga to help along with breathing and relaxation techniques such as visualisations. There is no right or wrong way just finding what helps you best.

The BHF Heart Matters had this article about the various stratergies other people have used which you may find helpful.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

Not knowing the cause of our symptoms is something that can make some of us feel anxious and lower mood.

Beta blockers are also helpful to treat angina due to narrowing of your coronary arteries due to permanent blockages.

Perhaps make an appointment to see your GP to talk to them about how you are feeling.

The BHF cardiac nurses on the helpline are also another source of support.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo....

I hope you feel more at ease soon.

[Red18 in reply to Milkfairy]

Thankyou so very much for your advice. I do truly hope it isn't Angina. I am waiting for a phone call this week to see the Cardiologist. Hopefully with all tests completed I will find out. Had andiogram done showing 70%blockage. Cardiologist discharged me with statins and aspirin. Was fine for a couple of months but just of late not felt right

[Nathan53]

Hello Red it can be frustrating when you don't feel listened to regarding GP comments. With a 70% blockage you could well be experiencing angina. Do you have a GTN spray and if so does using it relieve the pain? While you are waiting to see the Cardiologist GP can prescribe GTN spray if you don't have one. Beta blockers are given for anxiety however they are also used for those of us with Coronary heart disease. Remember you can also ring one of the BHF Nurses to discuss further. Take care

[Red18 in reply to Nathan53]

Thankyou so very much Nathan. Loving all the support. So so frightened if I am being totally honest. Since diagnosis of the plaque lost 22 pounds in weight and chloesterol down from 5.9 to 4.9. Anxious times.

[Nathan53 in reply to Red18]

You really have done well losing that weight and reducing your cholesterol. It is really difficult when you feel anxious but remember even if it is angina there is no reason why it can't be well managed with little impact on quality of your life.

[Red18 in reply to Nathan53]

I know. I do hear what you are saying. I do truly. My diet was dire. I didn't look after myself at all. Now I eat lots of fruit and vedg. Little red meat. Take vitaminb12 and a d3 vitamin. I just hope when I see cardiologist I get answers

[Nathan53]

Just remembered one of your previous posts about GTN spray. Hang in there keep a diary of symptoms when they happen etc and discuss with Cardiologist

[Red18 in reply to Nathan53]

On the andiogram I had done the plaque shown it wasn't blood flow limiting?? I just hope this is the case. Need to speak to cardiologist. Thanks again for your support

[Nathan53 in reply to Red18]

My Cardiologist told me a less than 75% blockage was 'unlikely' to cause angina

[Red18 in reply to Nathan53]

Fingers crossed I hope so... Until you are faced with a serious health problem you just don't worry do you?

[Nathan53 in reply to Red18]

Exactly I think any serious or chronic health problem can cause a number of effects and play havoc with our emotions. Of course it can also provide us with an opportunity to change the things we can change as you have done with losing weight. It's a journey as can be seen from reading the many inspiring stories on here. That said we will all have our melt down days. Take things step by step.

[Red18 in reply to Nathan53]

Thankyou. I will try and take things step by step. I am a worrier I guess. But this health scare has certainly changed my eating habits. I am going to up my exercise too. Hopefully no problems..

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Nathan53]

What about Vasospastic and Microvascular angina?

I have wonderfully clear coronary arteries however I still live with angina due to the fact that all my coronary blood vessels have a habit of constricting.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

Cardiologist need to look beyond the blockages.

[Nathan53 in reply to Milkfairy]

Thanks - a really important point to add. As your previous posts supporting others show the conditions you mention are not even considered by many Cardiologists. A Registrar told me pain I was experiencing couldn't be angina as it was only at rest and not on exercise. My resting heart rate is between 48 - 54 BPM and I tend to feel better when exercising and BPM go much higher I do still think I may have an element of microvascular angina but no where near the level you and others experience. It's a question I will pursue on my next appt

[Bassman65]

Yeah that’s why we agreed he shouldn’t take them, I am on them myself as I have suspected MVA and mild to moderate atheroma

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

I have a delayed response to exercise, mental or emotional stress too.

I feel better for exercise. I warm up really slowly then there is a sweet spot when I know my blood vessels have dilated enough that I have no pain. I then have to cool down really slowly.

The pay back wicked angina later at rest into the early hours.

Unfortunately too may Cardiologists just don't have the understanding of the complexity of Vasospastic and Microvascular angina.

We are asking them to believe in unicorns in fairy land 🦄 🧚‍♀️

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Nor did I.....🤣😖😭

[bun123]

That made me laugh 👍

[Handel]

Hi Red. I think it's all be said. Easy to say don't worry though!!! I lost a stone and went to the docs just before Christmas. I wondered whether the bloody cancer was back as weight loss is a sign. After loads of tests, the cancer is still doing nothing but the weight loss it seems was constant worry about hubby (quad bypass in November but really poorly with 'undiagnosed' angina for months before).

Just shows you what worry and anxiety can do to the body.

When my mum passed away following a cardiac arrest some 30 years ago, I came down with phantom chest and jaw pain. Diazepam was prescribed!!

All the very best to you. Hope you get the answers you need soon. It's the uncertainty that plays havoc with life isn't it xxx

[Jamesadams2772]

I’m on propranolol 40mg three times a day

for the chest pains I get. My heart races and I get palpitations

[Red18 in reply to Jamesadams2772]

Hi James. Have you got Angina?

[Jamesadams2772 in reply to Red18]

No I haven’t got angina my anxiety is so high and the panic attacks are so intense.

[Red18 in reply to Jamesadams2772]

Hi James. Did these anxiety attacks just come out of the blue or have you been feeling low for a while and attacks have crept up?

[Jamesadams2772 in reply to Red18]

I have always had anxiety and been depressed for a long time but I never went to see about it. The anxiety and depression are from my childhood and I had buried it at the back of my mind and could cope with that. I eventually went to see my gp about my low mood and he put me on anti depressants that was about 4 years ago then this time a year ago my house was broken into and I had a knife pressed at my throat, the threat is still ongoing. On that night I took a severe panic attack which I thought was a heart attack and since then everything has spiralled out of control, blood pressure is 242/138 I have panic attacks on a daily basis, my heart races and I’m now on morphine tablets for the pain in my legs, hands and arms

[Red18 in reply to Jamesadams2772]

Ouch that's not good. So sorry to hear that. Don't let them evil people ruin your life! Keep strong.

[Gill1026]

I was prescribed beta blockers for anxiety, palpitations and High blood pressure. They helped lower my BP , lessened my palpitations and anxiety.

[Red18]

Hi Gill. My blood pressure is fine. In fact it tends to be on the low side. I do truly hope it isn't Angina. Hoping to get into see cardiologist soon. I think it is Angina. My GP doesn't think so. Hence the Beta Blockers. My andiogram was showing plaque but the plaque wasn't interrupting the blood flow??

[ACC107]

Hi, i was on them for 4 weeks for hypertension but i have been off beta blockers (Bisoprolol) for 2 weeks now, they gave me anxiety/depression didn't stop it, also got terrible side affects.

[HeartHeartHeart]

If you feel depressed now, you’ll probably feel more depressed on beta blockers. Doctors are so quick to prescribe drugs. Try cutting down on caffeine, alcohol, and sugar first and see if that helps. Also try to relax when you feel yourself getting anxious. I felt much better when I got off beta blockers. Felt more like myself again. But then again each one is different and you ultimately need to listen to your body.

[Red18]

Thanks for advice. I am not a anxious person. I do think it is angina. I'm hoping so much it isn't. That is why I refuse to take them. Came out of doctors feeling he heard me but didn't listen to me. Waiting now to see cardiologist.

[No_fixed_abode]

Hmm, don't agree with this idea, I was tried with something like this.

Back in December I was probably very B12 deficient, gives symptoms of anxiety, stress, massive fatigue, and breathlessness among others. My Dr at the time was stumped, he recommended Beta-blockers on the basis that they should act to stop the physical symptoms of stress assuming that this was the root cause. (he said snooker players took them to stop minor trembles in their hands)

My symptoms did not improve, in fact they were made a lot worse, although subtly different. As an example, before, walking up hill caused breathlessness, but like having a cold/flu, heart raced, but I felt like I had no air. With the beta-blockers the heart rate does not rise, the breathlessness is extreme, and you feel awful afterwards(dizzy, feint, woolly headed).

At the beginning of Feb another Dr who I trust stopped them (by then we were fairly certain that B12d was the initial cause and had started treatment). After about a week I could again walk up hills without being breathless...

But here's the thing, probably 6 weeks on, it is only recently that my resting heart rate has returned to normal as it was before the Beta-blockers. However, my heart rate during the day is way higher than it used to be, now I am unsure if this is to do with stopping the Bet-blockers, the emergence of a new problem, or if my memory is faulty of how it used to perform. I have a cardiac stress test this week to try to find out, I would not be surprised to find out that my problem is actually still down to the withdrawal of the Beta-blockers and my bodies reaction to them.

I wish you all the best.

[Red18 in reply to No_fixed_abode]

Thanks for reply. M6 doctor I have no faith in. I know what I'm feeling. I am not anxious. I have told him many times. There is a chance in hell I'm taking the beta blockers. Some doctors just fob you off. Simple. I have started to take vitamin B12 as I am trying to have little red meat these days. Fingers crossed like you I start to feel a little better.

[No_fixed_abode in reply to Red18]

Well, I am diabetic, 2 doctors have since told me that Beta-blockers and diabetes don't play nice, go figure...

B12 deficiency will make you feel anxious, if you read any of the posts on here on how long it takes to feel better, you will see this from just about every post... (if you supplement B12 use a sublingual or a spray, you may not absorb a pill correctly in the gut - I self injected, but I had the support of my doctor here, not any NHS doctor, they just did not want to know)

Good luck with it, but keep pushing the GP, or find another one

[Red18 in reply to No_fixed_abode]

Thankyou so very much for all your advice. Keep healthy!